Advice on my first "sander"

peripatew

peripatew

Joined
Jul 31, 2007
Messages
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I've decided to attempt making some knives. But, I'm going to wait a month or two before I purchase any big tools (big for me is $50+). I'm going to pick up some steel and use what I have right now (files, angle grinder, etc) while I am still reading up and learning. But, seems that a belt sander would be one of my early purchases once I've pasted my month+ waiting mark. I have Goddard's book ($50 knife shop, not finished with it), and I've been browsing around here and other sites for a while trying to pickup some knowledge and learn from other's experience.

SO, once I decide to commit, should I start with a 1"x42" style belt sander (some come with a 6" wheel too) or should I try to assemble my own sander? Part of my really wants to take on the challenge of making my own, but I don't know how to weld, and I don't have much electrical experience. I'm a quick learner though, and I'd love to make knives off of something that I've helped to build.

I've come across a lot of information on making grinders and polishers, but not much on making sanders. Is it worth the effort? Or should I start with a simple and inexpensive BORG sander? I could likely find a sander used for under $50. What would the estimated costs be of a homebrew belt sander?

Thanks!

L
 
I personally wouldn't worry too much about a plain old belt sander. Anything you can do with a belt sander, you'll be able to do with files and sandpaper!

Eventually a real knife grinder is what you'll want to have.

Your best bet, since you want to make your own tool, would be to investigate the NWGS (No Weld/Grinder Sander) on the Knifemaking Tools and Supplies threads.

Those that have purchased the plans have given great feedback. It will be the "most economical" approach for you and fits your desires of "no weld" and "making your own tool".

A sander as you mentioned will have limited use in your shop. I have a 1 x 42 sander that sits on the shelf and I never use it. I have a 1 x 30 sander that I never use anymore. My 2 x 72 grinder however is used every day!
 
Thanks for letting me know about the NWGS, it really looks great. I'm considering order the plans just so I can learn more about it, but the minimum initial cost estimate $250-300 is a little high for me right now. However, I think I could learn a lot from the plans, and adjust it to fit my needs.

Another question, if I had a good belt sander, like the NWGS, would I have much need for a wheel grinder? I'm trying to think ahead, and it seems that a dual sided grinder would be nice to construct and use as a sharpening system.

Thanks for your help!
 
I'd also be interested in other plans for building sanders/grinders. I learned a lot from Goddard's book, but I'd be interested in checking out lots of different options before I commit time and money.
 
If you build the NWGS, it will be able to do anything that a sander will do. It will also do anything the stone wheel grinder will do. It will be a grinder/belt sander/sharpener. My sanders and stone grinding wheels sit idle now that I have a 2 x 72 grinder! The NWGS will be all the tools your talking about rolled into one. It will take up less space and do everything that you'll need.

You can purchase the plans and then slowly build the NWGS as the funds become available. Buy the parts as you can afford them. I'd lay out the plans in a logical manner and purchase the parts you need next, as you go, until you get it done.

I'd stick with sandpaper and hand filing to make knives until I got the NWGS finished, if I were in your shoes.

Trust me, a quality Belt Grinder is light years ahead of a stone grinding wheel and a belt sander. Belt sanders usually don't have the horsepower or torque to grind steel off efficiently. They are also more difficult to get quality belts (the kind that remove steel efficiently) for. Belt sanders, such as the 1 x 42 you're looking at will overwork the smaller motor and the belts will get hot quickly. I actually made a mistake pushing to hard on my 1 x 42 and got my hand hard into the belt once. It was a foolish mistake, but my hand nearly stopped the grinder! It didn't even break the skin. If I had done that on the 2 x 72 that I now have, the belt wouldn't even slow down, and I'd be down to bone in a split second and on my way to an emergency room.

A 2 x 72 belt will run cooler and last longer also.

To see what a quality 2 x 72 belt grinder will do, go to this link and watch the videos. This isn't the machine you'd be building, but it is similar in horsepower, torque and design. A NWGS will do similar type work as the machines offered by Beaumont. I have one of the KMG's from Beaumont and wouldn't trade it for 10 sanders and stone bench grinders.

http://www.beaumontmetalworks.com/grinder.html

When I used to try and grind on a 1 x 42, I went through 3 or 4 80 grit belts per blade just getting the rough grinding done. I get 2 or more knives per 2 x 72 belt.

It's the difference between using stone knives and modern steel in knifemaking. If you get the plans and slowly build the machine, piece by piece, as you can afford it, you'll never regret it!!
 
The grinder is a great idea and I am going to build one too but it will costm much more than 50 bucks in materials. More like several hundred. Now remember that a new grinder will set you back 12-1500 or more complete so building one will save you alot. Just remember that the wheel alone for this machine is 75 bucks and that is if you use a Grizzly contact wheel. The one it calls for is abouit 250.00 I think.

I saw a guy take a belt sander normally used for wood, flip it over, somehow attach it to a table and use it to grind on a blade! Goes to show how creative one can be with a little brain power. Good luck.
 
I used to flat grind blades on a 2x24" belt sander that was mounted upside down in a vise then cleaned up with files and sandpaper.

Grizzly has probably the cheapest acceptable 2x72" belt grinder around, you can also order (if I remember correctly) just the 2x72 part of it, get a mandrel, some pulleys and a motor and you're set.

To be honest, while we all rave about our grinders and how we love them, it's just a variable grit, high speed electric file. Annealed steel (at the least the (10XX series I use) works with files very easily. I'd spend money on a drill press and other things before I dropped money on a grinder.

Will
formerly known as badbamaump
 
I just spoke to Ariel, A member here and amazing knifemaker. All he uses is an expandable drum sander. it attaches to a bench grinder and you have round belte that slip on it. Once the grinder starts spinning the drum expands a little and it holds the belt on. Very simple, very inexpensive and obviously very effective. I found one for 23 bucks that comes with belts!!
 
Check out your local pawn shops. You'd be surprised what will turn up, and at a decent price. You probably won't find a knife grinder, but you'll probably be able to find a disk grinder at a cheap price.

Good luck.
 
Keithcellini said:
I just spoke to Ariel, A member here and amazing knifemaker. All he uses is an expandable drum sander. it attaches to a bench grinder and you have round belte that slip on it. Once the grinder starts spinning the drum expands a little and it holds the belt on. Very simple, very inexpensive and obviously very effective. I found one for 23 bucks that comes with belts!!
Click to expand...


Where did you find it?/What brand? The cheapest I found was about $80 just for the wheel, but I like the idea of this.
 
Ariel also uses 2 cutoff wheels bolted together. I looked at the expanding drum grinder but realized you will go through a ton of belts on that thing. I have a 2X42 craftsman with a ceramic platen and im going through more belts than I would like to
 
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